Larry Abel was one of the earliest pioneers of mini and youth rugby in Hong Kong and a forceful driver in the establishment of the Hong Kong Mini Rugby Football Union and the New Year's Day tournament, which celebrated its 46th year in 2014.

Ruth Mitchell has long been one of the driving forces in the growth of the women's game, serving in a variety of roles over the years including representing Hong Kong at both sevens and fifteens, serving as the Hong Kong team manager and as the Tournament Director of the Hong Kong Women's Rugby Sevens. Mitchell has been an HKRFU Director since 2005, and her contribution to the game has been recognized globally; she received the International Rugby Board's Women's Personality of the Year Award and the Asian Rugby Football Union's Women's Personality of the Year Award in 2011.

Ashley Billington, who represented Hong Kong from 1992 to 1998, holds the world record for most points in a match scoring 10 tries (50 points) versus Singapore in a Rugby World Cup qualifier played in 1994.

Born in Hong Kong in 1959, Dave’s family moved back to the UK when he was 18 months old. He attended Dollar Academy in Scotland where he played for the First XV for two seasons, captaining the side in his final year. The team was coached by former Scottish International, Ron Glasgow, who upon his retirement from teaching compiled his ‘best ever’ team from the 26 years that he taught at Dollar, making Dave the No 8 and Captain of the side.

After leaving school Dave undertook a five year Short Service Commission in the Royal Marines, seeing active service during two tours of Northern Ireland and the Falklands conflict. These duties meant that Dave’s rugby rather played second fiddle although he did captain the Commando Training Centre and won his Rugby Colours for the Royal Marines. In Oct 1988 he joined the then Royal Hong Kong Police, first representing Hong Kong in 1989 and finally playing for a representative Hong Kong team against the Penguins in 2003. He played for Hong Kong a total of 55 times, which at time of writing is still a record.

Dave states his rugby highlights are winning the HKFC Tens in 1990, and while playing in the Pacific Rim Tournament in 1998 beating Japan, the USA and Canada.

Rambo is the 1st Chinese Rep. HK Rugby & XVs Rugby, Legend of Rugby development in both Asia and Hong Kong. He assisted in developing the structure of HK Rugby and the grand sports event, since 1995 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens as well as the 2008 Bledisole in hk, East Asian Games 2009 and the Asian Games 2010 & 2014, 2014 youth Olympic in Nanjing .He worked for the Hong Kong Rugby Union (1993-2010) and transfer to the World Rugby & Asia Rugby to support china rugby development, for over twenty-five years and providing coaching & education in National Rugby level in different countries, including, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysian , Philippines, India and Pakistan. He was the Awardee of the Coaching Education Award by the 2010 Hong Kong Coaching Award.

Chan Fuk Ping, over a short but stellar career, became the first local Chinese player to represent Hong Kong at 7s with his first appearance in Hong Kong's most storied tournament coming in 1997 with the hosting of the Rugby World Cup Sevens.

Stuart Krohn started his rugby journey a lot later than most of the ICEF players. He first picked up the sport in college at the University of Colorado and then moved to California to attend the University of California, Santa Barbara where he was an All-American. He'd eventually go on to be the first American professional rugby player, playing for 13 years in France, New Zealand, South Africa, and finally captaining the Hong Kong national team while simultaneously teaching PE at the French International School (FIS) in Hong Kong where he also started a rugby program.

After 8 seasons in Hong Kong and upon his return to the states, he landed a job coaching the Santa Monica Men's Club while simultaneously teaching English at a small charter school in South Los Angeles. In 2005 again in 2006 Santa Monica were the US National Champions. For years Krohn had a dream of bringing rugby to the Inner City using a similar model of introducing rugby that he used at Hong Kong's FIS. He started the rugby program at ICEF Public Schools in 2003 on the parking lot at the small View Park campus at the corner of Crenshaw Bvld and Slauson Ave.

As director of ICEF's rugby program, Krohn and his staff have taught the game to thousands of kids over the last 15 years and have exposed hundreds of Inner City students to the world in annual international rugby tours. The ICEF Rugby Program is in its 15th season serving thousands of students in South Los Angeles. It includes physical education programs, after-school, middle school flag rugby teams, and boys and girls, middle and high school tackle programs. ICEF Rugby is opening worlds for students in South Los Angeles.

www.icefrugby.org

I arrived in Hong Kong in 1975, when I started playing for the Police.

I ‘took up the whistle’ in the late 80’s and went on to become an international referee.

I refereed the final of the Hong Kong 7’s on two occasions in the 90’s as well as being selected as a referee for the RWC 7’s in 1997. I was also appointed to be a Citing Commissioner for the British Lions tour to New Zealand in 2005

I served as a board member of the HKRU for 4 years before moving on to be elected as the Hon Secretary General of ARFU from 2007 to 2013.

I am currently a World Rugby (Master) Trainer and am the consultant General Manager of Asia Rugby, responsible for some 30 member unions across the whole of the Asian Region.

I arrived in Hong Kong in 1977, at the age of 30, and joined the HKFC. I played for the Club 1^st XV until 1983 when I was elected as Chairman of the Rugby Section and bega coaching. From 1985-89 I coached the 1^st XV and from 1987 season I was also appointed as Hong Kong National Coach for 15s and 7s. A role I continued in until 1992. During this period the 7s squad achieved considerable success; qualifying for the Cup Competition (1989), winning the Plate Competition (1990 and 1992) at the Hong Kong tournament and qualifying for the Rugby World Cup 7s.

For two seasons (1992-1994) I coached the Kowloon Rugby Club before returning to coach at the HKFC. At the end of the 1998-99 season I was voted Coach of the Year by the HKRFU.

I returned to coaching the National 7s squad in 1997 and in the ensuing years the team won the Bowl Competition at the Hong Kong tournament in 1999 and 2001, the Plate Competition at the Fiji 7s and qualified for the Rugby World Cup 7s in Argentina

From 2001-2005 I served on the HKRFU Board of Directors in the capacity of Director of Coaching. I was made a Honorary Life Member of the HKRFU in 2006 and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Rod McIntosh – M.Ed, B.ED PE, Teach. Dip (NZ)

Rod McIntosh arrived from New Zealand having played NPC for Waikato for 5 years. He was also a New Zealand Junior All Black, represented the New Zealand Maori All Blacks and had 2 trials for the All Black national team. He represented Hong Kong in 7s and 15s from 1994-2004 amassing over 100 caps. He Captained the 7s team and played in successful teams that won the bowl at the 7s on a number occasions. Rod was also an accomplished coach leading Valley and HKFC to club titles and then progressed to coaching the National 7s team taking then to World cups in 1991/ 1995.

He was a PE teacher and Director of Sport at leading international schools in HK during his time in 852 and started Girls Rugby in Hong Kong along with Stuart Krohn. He is now based in Christchurch and is Head of High Performance Sport at St Andrew’s College. One of New Zealand’s top rugby schools.

GEORGE SIMPKIN was the Technical Director of the HKRFU when the Development Programme started in 1988. Prior to coming to Hong Kong he had coached the New Zealand Provincial team, Waikato, for nine years, had coached an All Black trial team in 1984, was the North Island Selector in 1985 and was a member of the N.Z.R.F.U. Technical Committee and a Staff Coach. From 1985-7 he was involved with the Fiji Rugby Team, including the first World Cup in 1987.

Whilst in Hong Kong he developed rugby in the Chinese community and together with K.K.Chiu established a lot of new club and university teams. Also with K.K., he was instrumental in starting rugby in China. He coached Hong Kong between 1992-1997. After time-motion studies on Sevens rugby he changed all kicks from place kicks to drop kicks, including all kick-offs from half way. In 1996 he reversed the kick-off after a try was scored to the try scoring team. He also pushed for the hooker to be allowed to bind under props’ arms. This made a huge difference to the mobility of the hooker and added extra passes to periods of play.

After leaving Hong Kong, George has coached Sri Lanka, China and Germany in international fixtures.

A serving police officer who has been in Hong Kong for 28 years. Began reffing in 2003 after too many dislocated shoulders. Quickly rose up through the ranks and was officiating at the top grade in Hong Kong as early as 2005, including an appearance at the 7s RWC in 2005 and the year after at the Asian Games in Doha.

Began officiating in the then Asian 5 Nations in 2008, being involved in every year until 2014 and was involved in numerous Asian 7s tournaments.

Retired from reffing top grade rugby in 2015 when I took up coaching of young and new referees.

Rugby has given me tremendous opportunities both in HK and around the world. I'd like to thank everyone who has in their own way contributed to this marvellous game and my involvement. Especially to my long-suffering rugby-wife Emily who has allowed me to enjoy this game for so long!